Sketch Parent Guide

In an attempt to help his kids regulate their behavior, Taylor Wyatt (Tony Hale) has an aphorism, “You can’t control your inbox but you can control your outbox.” It’s a helpful bit of advice because his daughter Amber (Bianca Belle) has a lot in her inbox. Amber is filled with grief and rage over her mother’s death; she’s being bullied by Bowman (Kalon Cox), a boy on the school bus; her brother, Jack (Kue Lawrence) is trying to “fix” her; and her dad can’t bring himself to talk about his late wife.

Amber has found a way to manage her outbox – using art as an emotional outlet. Her anger, loss, and feelings about death are expressed in violent pictures of monsters who bleed across the pages of her notebook.

Meanwhile, Jack’s responses are more complicated. Conscientious and compassionate, he’s doing his best to keep the family on an even keel. But when he discovers a pond that can heal what’s broken, he thinks he’s found a solution to his family’s sorrow.

When Jack and Amber’s solutions collide, the results are terrifying. Amber’s monsters come to life and rampage through the community. Can Amber and Jack work with friends and family to vanquish their ghosts and eliminate the monsters?

Sketch is an impressive kids’ film. It’s scary without being gory, it has the courage to tackle painful subjects honestly, and it takes a hard look at the pain and power of children’s interior lives. Best of all, it’s an original story that’s imaginative, warm, and empowering for young audiences. It tells kids they can find healthy ways to deal with painful feelings, they can work together in dark times, and that they are stronger than they think. If your youngsters can handle scares, this film has plenty of positive messages for them.

If you’re thinking of taking your family to this film, you should carefully consider the fear factor. Amber draws some very grisly pictures and the monsters that come to life are violent and scary. This is a movie with scenes (pictorial and live action) involving strangulation, stabbing, the attempted eating of a child, car crashes, mobs of spiders, and fights with flame throwers and weed eaters. There are also several jump scares. If your kid is prone to nightmares, this isn’t the film for you.

But if you or your child like scary movies and want something out of the ordinary for the juvenile set, Sketch could be what you’re looking for. The violence isn’t gratuitous or played for laughs: it’s key to the plot, underlining the pain that suffuses the Wyatt family while also serving as a catalyst for the development of courage, resilience, and strength. I don’t generally like violent films, but Sketch has so much heart, that despite its minor flaws, it touched mine.

About author

Kirsten Hawkes

Kirsten Hawkes has a BA in Political Science and English and has worked in international development and medical education and marketing. Kirsten enjoys reading, watching movies, and debating politics with her husband and sometimes unwilling children.